Post-game musings

– Not sure if you can panic just yet, but I think I saw the Rangers’ training staff sewing the No. 2 on the back of a jersey after the game.

— I know, you’re all sick of Brian Leetch talk. But be honest: isn’t the idea slightly more palatable than it was 24 hours ago? Then again, the way the power play looked tonight, Ron Greschner isn’t looking so bad, either.

— Speaking of which, Jaromir Jagr was asked whether the power play is just not clicking, or if there’s a problem with the personnel. If nothing else, I’m pretty sure A-Rod is available.

— Tom Renney was clearly annoyed after the game. Which is why I didn’t get around to asking him where he bought that sportcoat.

— Meanwhile, the Flyers are 7-0-1 in the Garden over their last eight games, a run that goes back to 2003. I’d have to check, but I think that’s more wins than the Knicks have had in that same time.

6 Comments

I’m not as worried about the powerplay that hasn’t worked itself out yet as I am about the lack of effort in the 3rd game.
After watching a very inspiring season last year in which there wasnt many games in our boys were outworked..
You just hope they get back to the work ethic they
showed us allmost all of last yr…

Agreed. The Rangers looked lazy, tired and weak; the kind of performance a captain wouldn’t tolerate — if only he wasn’t leading it by example.

The power play is a joke. Sam, for all the talk, do these guys actually practice shooting on net? They should. How many times do we have to hear people say the players bought into Renney’s system before they actually start putting it on goal on the power play? Maybe Jagr can get away with playing the whole pp with his ass to the net, but no one else should.

Forget Brian Leetch; that guy is the past. Let’s find ourselves some more hungry Czechs if that’s what it takes to force Jagr to pick it up.

Pwer play was anemic to say the least. I was sitting in the 300’s behind the 7th ave goal and notice a key differnce in PP’s; The NYR stay spread and move the puck on the perimeter, allowing Philly’s PK to be aggressive at the point and the side boards. Yet when the NYR PK pressed the point or the half board, Knuble,Gagne etc., would move to the slot vacated by the NYR rotation and were wide open for two goals…not unlike Shannys goal.

Great call, Charlie. The Flyers were definitely more aggressive on the penalty kill, and you can afford to be against a power play that’s lacking in confidence. It’s only when a team can move the puck around more freely and spot the open man that that sort of aggressive play can be risky. But against the Rangers it was the perfect formula.

To be honest, I’m starting to think it’s less about the point players on the power play and more about the philosophy, either from the players or the Rangers coaching staff.

Last year it was: get the puck to Jagr. This year they’ve diversified, but it’s still either having Jagr or Shanahan shoot the puck for the most part, and Jagr remains the quarterback.

Given his record on the power play in the past you could certainly argue it’s an appropriate strategy.

But what it means is that rather than the point man running the power play, you are in effect making the point man little more than a decoy for the most part.

I’m not sure putting Leetch back there, or even someone more in their prime, would really make a whole lot of difference if they continue with that strategy. They could easily put Pock back their now and get more shots from the point, but it appears to be against the strategy they’re going with.